Clock winding device.



C. T. BBRNHARDT.

CLOCK WINDING DEVICE. APPLICATION FILED-JUNE s, 1912.

Patented Apr. 1, 1913.

' l/W/WOR Clarence T. Bernhard! ATTORNEYS To all whom it may concern.

CLARENCE THEOPHILUS BERNHARDT, OF SALISBURY, NORTH CAROLINA.

CLOCK WINIjING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

, Patented Apr. 1913.

Application filed June 6, 1912. Serial No. 702,095.

Be it known that I, CLARENCE T. BERN- rmim'r, a citizen of the United States, and a resident .of Salisbury, in the county of .Rowan and State of North Carolina, have invented a new and Improved Clock-VVinding Device, of which the followingis a full,

- clear, and exact description.

An object of my invention is to provide a clock-winding device in-the-form of a selfcontained unit attachable to the spindle of the winding barrel of the clock, and bodily removable therefrom when desired.

It is desirable in attachments of the character referred to, that the winding device be applicable to the spindle within a space which is usually available directly back of the dial. In order that the unit may be readily accommodated in the limited space available, and the parts be assembled within small compass, I employ a counter-balanced frame which is disposed vertically when in use, the counter-balancing Weight being at the lower end, and the upper end of the frame having a laterally deflected arm, the

free end of which is offset from the body of ing carried for the purpose on a lateral arm the frame a distance to permit a pull string for operating the winding attachment to drop straight downward at one side of the frame. Between the lower end and the upper arm for the. pull string, the frame is made open, its sides being spread apart, providing cheek pieces which receive between them a ratchet wheel. Co-acting with the ratchet wheel there is a pawl of a novel form and arrangement, which normally gravitates away from the ratchet wheel, be-

of the frame adjacent to the ratchet and at the side of the frame opposite that to which the pull string is attached. Because of the special arrangement of the pawl, the attachment is adapted for employment either with a clock mechanism in which the spindle ing drawing forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts. in both views.

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a winding device embodying my invention, illustrating the-same in connection .with portions of a clock including the spindle of the winding barrel; and Fig. 2 is a side view, onan-enlarged scale, with parts bro ken away.

In constructing the self-contained winding unit in accordance with my invention, a frame is constructed having an enlarged lower end 10, to give increased weight at said end, and constitute a counter-balance for the frame. The upper end of the frame is in the form of an arm 11, which is offset laterally, preferably on curved lines, the

outer free end 12 of said frame being projected a sufficient distance from the body of the frame so that the pull string 13 may be attached to the end 12 to drop straight down at one side ofthe broadened and weighted end 10, as clearly shown in' Fig. 1.

Between the weighted lower end 10 and the arm 11 the frame is made open, as-shown best in Fig. 2, and consists of spaced cheeks 1 1. Desirably the frame, including the weight 10, the upper arm 11 and checks 14, is composed of two members, one terminating as at, 15, just above the cheeks 14, and being riveted as at 16 to the companion plate. Below the cheeks 14, both members of the framelie close together, as at 17 (Fig. 2), and are given the same shape, which is preferably round, as illustrated in Fig. 1;v Additional rivets 18 and 19 may be employed below the cheeks 14 to unite the ,members together. In the cheeks 14 a hub 20 is iournaled, carrying a ratchet pinion 21, the said hub having an axial bore to fit over the winding spindle 22 of the winding barrel 23 of the clock, the frame-work 'of which clock is partially indicated at 24, the clock spring being indicated at 25. The hub of the ratchet pinion may be secured to the spindle 22 in any suitable manner, as by a set screw, one arrangement of which is indicated at 26.

Co-acting with the ratchet pinion 21 is a pawl 27 which is in the form of a U-shaped yoke, the ends 28 of the arms of which yoke are passed through the arms 14 formed on the cheeks 14 at a point above the inion 21, and are upset at their ends to ho d the yoke in lace, while permitting it to swing. The pro ection of the arms 14. beyond the cheeks 14 is such that the pawl 27 will hang vertically when the winding frame is in the normal position, on one side of and free from the ratchet pinion 21, so that the pawl is normally entirely out of engagement with the ratchet, and tends to gravitate away from said ratchet.

WVith the described construction, will be seen that with the fitting of the ratchet pinion between the spaced cheeks 14 of the windingframe, carrying said pinion and its pawl 27 on said frame, the unit occupies a small space, and can be bodily placed in position at the back of the dial 80, and removed therefrom, with convenience. Moreover, the form and arrangement of the pawl permits of the winding spindle 22 and the ratchet pinion 21 thereon, turning backward as the clock unwinds without any interfer- 'ence from the pawl; at the same time, a pull on the rope 13 on the laterally deflected arm 11, 12, serves to rock the depend ing weighted end 10 upward, and to throw the gravity pawl 27 into engagement with the ratchet wheel pinion, to turn the said pinion and the clock spindle 22.

Having thus escribed my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. A winding means for clocks, consisting of a self-contained unit bodily attachable to the spindle of a clock-winding barrel behind the clock dial, said unit comprising a vertically-extending frame havinga depending weight at its lower end, and a laterally offset arm at its upper end, the free end of the arm having means for the attachment of a pull string at a point to permit the pull string to drop clear at one side of the lower end of the frame, said frame between the weighted lower end and the laterally deflected arm at the upper end, being open and presenting spaced cheek pieces having lateral arms at the side opposite the deflected upper arm, a gravity pawl of U- shape, the arms of which are freely hung in the last-mentioned arms of the winding frame, and a ratchet pinion journaled in the cheek pieces at a point below the arms carrying the pawl, the said pinion having a hub formed with an axial bore to fit the winding spindle of the clock.

2. A winding means for clocks, consisting of a self-contained unit comprising an upright frame weighted at its lower end to counter-balance it, a laterally deflected arm of the frame at the upper end thereof, having means for receiving a pull string, additional arms belowthe first-mentioned arm, and at the side of the frame opposite to said first-mentioned arm, a gravity pawl suspended in the said last-mentioned. arms, and a pinion journaled in the frame below the point of suspension of the gravity pawl, said pinion having a hub provided with an axial bore to receive the winding spindle of the clock.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification in the Presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CLARENCE THEOIHILUS BERNHARIYI'.

\Vitnesses J. B. ALDREDGE, Cosm M. BURGESS. 

